Erechtheion

While the Parthenon was the most impressive temple on the Acropolis,
another building, the Erechtheion was built to accommodate the
religious rituals that the old temple housed. Construction of the
Erechtheion began in 420 while the Peloponnesian war was interrupted
by the Peace of Nikias and continued through some of the most difficult
times for the Athenians at war. During this time the Athenians
suffered a devastating defeat at Syracuse, saw their empire unravel
through consecutive revolts, had their cherished democracy replaced
by a brief oligarchy, and endured major defeat. The Erechtheion
construction was concluded in 406 BCE, and soon thereafter, in
403 BCE Athens fell to the Spartans.

None of the dramatic events that marked the fall of Athens are
present in the elegant Ionic lines of the Erechtheion. It seems
that the cultural maturity of Athens as expressed through art was
reaching a new apogee, just as the forces and institutions that
made it possible were unraveling.

The Erechtheion is an intricate temple. It sprang from a complex
plan that was designed to accommodate the radically uneven ground
on the site, and to avoid disturbing sacred shrines like the altars
to Poseidon (Erechtheus), and Hephaestus, or the spot where Poseidon
hit the Acropolis with his trident. Other shrines that needed to
be accommodated included the sacred olive tree, a well containing
sea water (the Erechtheian Sea), the tomb of Kekrops, and the Pandrosion
sanctuary.

The elegance and delicate forms of the Erechtheion contrast sharply
with the neighboring Parthenon that counter-balances the architectural
complex with its majestic, Doric presence. The temple faces east
and its entrance is lined with six long Ionic columns. To the north
and west the wall of the temple drops dramatically to almost twice
the altitude of the front and south side’s. The temple is
unusual in that it incorporates two porches (prostaseis); one at
the northwest corner which is supported by tall Ionic columns,
and one at the south-west corner which is supported by six massive
female statues, the famous Caryatids.

The Caryatids have become the temple’s signature feature,
as they stand and seem to casually support the weight of the porch’s
roof on their heads. Their identification, or the purpose for such
elaborate column treatment is lost through the centuries, but it
was by no means a new feature in Greek architecture. The Syphian
treasury at the sanctuary of Delphi similarly substituted female
figures for columns as far back as the sixth century BCE. All the
Caryatids on site today are exact replicas, while the originals
are protected by the corrosive air of modern Athens in the Acropolis
museum. One of the six Caryatids can be seen in the London museum
having been appropriated by Lord Elgin along with the Parthenon
marbles.

The exterior of the temple incorporated a continuous frieze, as
did the north prostasis. The theme of the frieze is not known,
but its form was unusual in that white marble figures, carved in
relief were attached to a flat background of dark gray marble.
Traditionally, a frieze would present vividly painted figures on
a monochrome painted background. From ancient accounting inscriptions,
and testimonies from Plutarch we can safely deduce that the entire
building was lavishly decorated with wall frescoes, gilded rosettes,
and an array of colored features and low relief sculptures.

The Erechtheion was built as a replacement for the “Old
Temple” (the foundations of which now lay between it and
the Parthenon), and to house all the shrines and rituals that once
took place there. The east end of the Erechtheion was dedicated
to Athena Polias (protector of the earth and fertility) and housed
the ultra-sacred wooden diipetes (fallen from the heavens) xoano
(statue) of Athena. The west part of the building was devoted to
Poseidon-Erechtheus, and sheltered the marks on the rock where
Poseidon struck with his trident during his contest with Athena,
the Erechtheian Sea fountain, and several altars to Hephaestus,
and a legendary Athenian hero named Boutos.

Of the interior plan of the Erechtheion we know very little. Many
modern plans depict it as divided into two or more rooms, and one
could guess that there were more than one levels in the original
plan. The temple however has undergone major rebuilding phases
through the centuries making its original interior make up a subject
of conjecture. It was damaged first in classical times, perhaps
even before it was finished, by a major fire before it was subsequently
renovated. Later when it was converted into a Christian Basilica
in the seventh century CE the interior walls were removed and new
ones were built. During the Ottoman Empire the temple was converted
to a harem and the north porch was walled up.

During the excavations of 1886 an open pit at the northwest of
the Erechtheion produced most of the Kore statues now exhibited
at Acropolis museum.

The building of the Erechtheion concluded the ambitious building
program initiated by Pericles during a time that the Athenian empire
enjoyed unprecedented political and cultural influence. Its completion
found Athens at the mercy of Sparta, and its treasury depleted.
By no means however did the splendor of the Athenian cultural achievements
cease to shine as evident in their influence on the art and architecture
of the next two and a half millennia.